Hellebuyck to the Devils: the players in the deal, the cap, and what it means for both goalie rooms
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Hellebuyck to New Jersey for Mercer, Daws, Bjugstad, a prospect and two picks: what it means for each team's roster, cap and goaltending, who won, and the goalie market.
The Winnipeg Jets traded Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils on Friday, the NHL announced. Winnipeg gets forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, goalie Nico Daws, the rights to 2026 No. 12 pick Alexander Command, a 2029 second-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick. The trade landed on the day the goalie's team suspension, which began Sept. 16 after he asked for a trade and missed camp, was due to end.
The players
The table above groups each player by destination and shows standard stats from the NHL and advanced numbers from hockeystats.io. Mercer scored 20 goals and 42 points in 82 games last season, and has no goals and four assists in 10 games this season. His 2025-26 5v5 numbers were slightly positive (51.4 xGF%, +3.7 relative), and this season's 10 games are a small sample. Bjugstad had two assists in 26 games in 2025-26, and his 5v5 numbers were poor (42.0 xGF%, -11.0 relative). Bjugstad is out four to six months after pectoral surgery and is on an expiring deal. Mercer is a restricted free agent in July. Command is the long-term piece, and the NHL and hockeystats.io have no data for him.
Cap and roster
New Jersey. Hellebuyck is signed through 2030-31 at an $8.5 million cap hit and has a full no-movement clause. PuckPedia's math has New Jersey adding a net $1.65 million, against $1.3 million of space before the deal. The sources don't spell out how the Devils fit it.
Winnipeg. The Jets take back $6.85 million in cap hits, about $1.65 million less than Hellebuyck's.
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Goaltending after the trade
The need in New Jersey was real: Jake Allen is at -4.3 goals saved above expected (GSAx) this season, and Daws, now gone, was at -2.1. In Winnipeg, Stuart Skinner ($3.75 million) is at +3.8 GSAx in seven games, so the crease is not empty, though the group has no proven starter at Hellebuyck's level.
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Who won?
Analysis, not reporting: New Jersey gains the most now, and Winnipeg takes on the least risk.
- Talent. Hellebuyck won the Hart and Vezina in 2024-25, and Daily Faceoff's data had him 41.57 goals saved above average that year, the league's best. In 2025-26 his save percentage fell to .895, the worst of his career, and hockeystats.io has his GSAx at only +2.0 over 57 games.
- Risk. He is 33 with five years left at $8.5 million, and his last three playoffs all had save percentages of .886 or lower.
Daily Faceoff has its own trade grades.
Goalie market and contenders
Analysis: the league's best-known goalie is off the market, so teams short in net lose their one blockbuster option. The Jets reportedly felt offers were poor as recently as the weekend, per ESPN's Emily Kaplan. New Jersey's package may become the reference price for the next goalie available.
Hockeystats.io's simulation, which doesn't model roster moves, had the Devils at 49.6% to make the playoffs and 1.7% to win the Cup on Saturday morning. Winnipeg was at 31.0% and 0.6%. Hellebuyck's first Devils start has no date. New Jersey plays in Winnipeg on Nov. 10.
Also: TSN, PuckPedia's trade page. Reports differ on Bjugstad's injury (NHL.com says upper body, TSN says pectoral surgery). Hockeystats.io still lists Mercer, Daws and Bjugstad with New Jersey. It keeps only the current and previous seasons, so 2024-25 advanced goalie stats come from Daily Faceoff.